Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy: Wigan Athletic are favourites

Mick McCarthy believes play-off rivals Wigan are in the best place to claim a top-six spot - despite his Ipswich Town side edging closer with a 1-0 victory over Birmingham City.

Daryl Murphy was the match winner with a 38th-minute tap-in following good work from Paul Taylor and Frank Nouble.

Ipswich are now four points off sixth place but McCarthy insists others are better placed to claim a play-off spot.

The Town boss said: "I think the top five are clear and Wigan are the favourites for the sixth spot.

"They are ahead of us and they still have players from the Premier League last season. But we are still in there, scrapping away."

Of his side's single-goal victory, Town's fourth consecutive clean sheet at Portman Road, McCarthy added: "I think it was the right result - just. But I don't think we dominated Birmingham by any stretch of the imagination."

After a poor 35 minutes, the match turned on two big chances.

Murphy gave his side the lead after tapping home Nouble's low cross following great work from man-of-the-match Taylor.

The goal gave Ipswich a new lease of life and they deserved the three points after an impressive second-half showing.

But Birmingham should have restored parity on 63 minutes when Lee Novak was presented with an identical chance to Murphy's opener.

Sub Chris Burke did well to beat Tommy Smith and his low centre should have brought the equaliser, only for Novak to fire over when it looked easier to score.

Anything but a victory would have been harsh on Ipswich who improved after taking the lead.

Taylor - who only started after new loan signing Jonny Williams got injured in training on Friday - was at the heart of all their best moments and he twice went close to doubling the lead before Birmingham keeper Darren Randolph saved from Paul Anderson after a woeful back pass from Jonathan Spector.